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4 Fun STEAM Projects for Grade School Kids You Can Do At Home

December 20, 2018 at 12:18 pmSponsored By SoCal Toyota

STEAM Projects can have a great effect on the overall development of a child in grade school. By incorporating interactive toys and crafts they can make at home, kids will be able to witness science, technology, engineering, arts and math in action at home with you. This will allow them the comfort to ask questions and build on their inquisitive thoughts around other STEAM projects.

This project allows kids to learn how to create a simple closed circuit to make their bug glow. Adult supervision and safety glasses are recommended with this project since you’re working with electricity.

The first step is to cut an oval cardstock base for the bug and two heart-shaped wings.

Then make the head for your bug with Play-Doh, along with two oblong sides. Place them on the paper base but make sure the side pieces don’t touch each other, or the bug won’t light up.

Have your grade schooler add eyes and antennae next.

Grab the LED and look at the leads; the longer one is the positive lead, and the shorter one is the negative. Pull the leads apart, and stick one end into each side of the body. Remember which side has the positive lead.

Now to make it light up: insert the batteries into the battery pack. Stick the red wire into the side with the positive LED lead; put the black wire into the other.

After this final step, turn on the battery pack and witness amazement as their bug glows!

Bath bombs are normally bought at your local drug store or health and beauty store, but what if you could make them at home? This science project is both fun and exciting for kids. But how does it work? According to Parents.com, the fizzy reaction in the tub is created by combining the sodium bicarbonate, better known as baking soda, and the citric acid. The baking soda serves as the base and when mixed dry, nothing happens. But when you add water, it acts as a catalyst, allowing the ions to collide. They react and dissolve, producing tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. The fizzing helps the bombs break down, releasing the scent of the essential oils.

First, combine citric acid, baking soda, corn starch, and Epsom salt in a large bowl and set aside.

In another small bowl, mix together one or two drops of essential oils, water, and olive oil and add it to the to the dry mixture very slowly. Make sure to mix it together as quickly and thoroughly as possible to avoid bubbles.

Once it’s all combined, the mixture should look like wet sand. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes; however, if it’s too dry, add a drop of olive oil, but don’t oversaturate.

Let your kids take their creativity to new height by adding color to their bath bomb. You can use a mold and simple food coloring to add color to your bath bomb.

When you tell your kids that it’s okay to launch balls around the house, they’ll be super excited for this fun STEAM project. How does it work? According to Parents.com, the lever is a simple machine made from the yardstick and the can. Your child must apply downward force to one side, to send the the ping-pong balls or whatever object they so choose flying. Keep in mind, the closer the can is to the cups, the less work it takes to move the projectiles.

The first step is to have your kids cover the can with scrapbook paper and secure with tape. Feel free to paint the yardstick or not.

Next step: Use a hot glue to attach the plastic party cups to one end of the yardstick. For safety precautions, this should be the adult’s job.

Have the kids secure the can to the middle of the yardstick with a rubber band and place ping-pong balls or other small objects in each cup.

Now for the lever in action: Have your kid stomp or press down firmly on the free end of the yardstick to launch objects across the room.